Lord Bach: The department has been assured by the Natural Environment Research Council that there will be no impact on current research into water management or the monitoring of water in the United Kingdom if staff numbers at the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology are reduced from 600 to 400. The Centre for Ecology and Hydrology will continue to deliver its contractual commitments to the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs and other government departments and agencies.

Lord Bach: The department has been assured by the Natural Environment Research Council that there will be no impact on current research into water management or the monitoring of water in the United Kingdom if the number of Centre for Ecology and Hydrology sites is reduced from nine to four. The Centre for Ecology and Hydrology will continue to deliver its contractual commitments to the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs and other government departments and agencies.

Lord McKenzie of Luton: Eurostat publishes figures for the "Top Statutory rate on corporate income" for each of the 25 member states of the European Union in its annual publication Structures of the Taxation Systems in the European Union (2005 edition, p. 89, Table II-5-1).
	A copy of this publication is in the Library of the House. The corresponding rates for Bulgaria and Romania for 2005 are 15 per cent. and 16 per cent. respectively.

Lord Dykes: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What European Union policy areas which were addressed during the United Kingdom Presidency they will raise during the Austrian Presidency.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Air Transport

Lord Hanningfield: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether their target of reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 60 per cent. by 2050 would be affected if their prediction that air passenger numbers will reach 475 million per year by 2030 is met.

Northern Ireland: Animal Welfare

Northern Ireland: Autism Spectrum Disorder

Polytunnels

Lord Davies of Oldham: The information requested has been placed in the Libraries of the House. Table 1 provides a breakdown of local transport capital funding provided to English local authorities from 1997–98 to 2005–06. Table 2 provides a breakdown of miles of road by authority.